For Better or Worse
by doubleteam172
Summary: Misty and friends are invited to Ash's house for a bit of a party. When Gary reveals some surprising informatiion, things are gonna get a litlle crazy. Written by Washuu Puppet and BrokenNarsil16.
1. Default Chapter

For Better or Worse -- 1

Disclaimer: We do not own Pokemon.

* * *

"Next stop is Pallet. Anybody need to get off?"

The bus driver looked over his shoulder to his passengers. A single arm shot up in the air and waved, a small envelope clenched in its hand.

"Okay! You got about five more minutes," the driver informed.

"Thank you, sir," Misty called back.

The old bus continued to bump along the road, causing a couple passengers to bounce in their seats. Rural scenes passed by the window: Lovely country houses and small patches of wood. More buildings were slowly approaching on the horizon. The bus stopped along the main road with a heavy lurch and Misty stood.

"Thank you," Misty said at the door.

"Let me help you with your luggage, miss," the driver insisted.

They step out into the early morning sunlight and retrieve Misty's bag from the bus' carriage. She thanked him yet again and began to walk down the street. Pallet hadn't changed; it was still the typical town from a book where the neighbors loved each other and every husband was home by five. Fenced in yards and perfectly trimmed hedges, flowerbeds and petite vegetable gardens.

"I can't imagine what this is for," Misty pondered, as she walked up to a white two-story, and rang the doorbell.

The door slowly opened and Delia Ketchum appeared.

"Hello, Mrs. Ketchum, I came as soon as I…"

Mrs. Ketchum instantly locked Misty in a tight embrace.

"…could."

"Oh, it is so good to see you again, Misty!" Delia cooed. "Seems like forever, it does."

Misty wrenched herself free. "Yes, it does, but it's only been about six months."

"Half a year! That's too long!" Delia said and grabbed Misty's luggage. "Oh! Come in, come in! Where are my manners?"

"Thank you," Misty smiled and entered.

"It's been so quiet around here, you wouldn't believe it!" Delia sighed. "Ash sleeps most of the morning away and goes over to Professor Oak's place in the afternoon. The only time I can really talk to him is at the table."

Misty shook her head. "He abuses the privilege of having such a wonderful mother."

Delia put a hand on her cheek. "You flatter me, Misty! Stop it!"

"It's true, Mrs. Ketchum."

"I'm actually surprised that you came so early," Delia said. "Everyone else isn't expected to arrive until this evening."

"I wasn't sure how long it would take, coming from Cerulean," Misty answered. "Better to be early than late, right?"

"You don't plan on going back after tonight's festivities, do you?"

"Well, I probably should. I don't want to bother," Misty replied.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Delia almost shouted. "I have a guest room upstairs you can use for as long as you wish. A couple days, a week, a month or two, it doesn't matter! It will be like having a daughter around."

Delia then lost herself in happy thoughts.

Misty laughed quietly, but nervously. "Since you've offered so nicely, I'll take the guest room. I'll just bring my bag up there."

Delia snapped back. "Wonderful! Up the stairs, third door on the left at the end of the hall."

"Thanks."

Misty dragged her bag up the stairs and found her guest room easily. It contained a simple twin size bed and a dresser, but it felt homier than her room back in Cerulean for some reason. She put her suitcase at the bottom of the bed, opened it, and took out her toiletries. Walking to the landing of the staircase, she called down to Mrs. Ketchum.

"Mrs. Ketchum, do you mind if I take a shower?"

Delia stuck her head around the railing. "Not at all! Do you need shampoo?"

"No, I brought some with me," Misty said.

"Help yourself, then," Delia replied.

"Thank you."

"Stop saying 'thank you'!" Delia demanded. "Make yourself at home!"

"Okay, than--," Misty stuttered. "I mean, I'm going to go take that shower now."

Misty entered the bathroom, undressed, and hopped into the shower. She couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. Every once in a while you could hear Delia fumbling with something down in the kitchen, but that was it. In Cerulean, at least one of her sisters would be up and about, complaining. It was a nice break.

After the refreshing clean-up and getting dressed once more, Misty couldn't find a hairdryer anywhere in the bathroom. It wasn't that big of a loss, but having sopping hair isn't always enjoyable. A quick scrub with a towel would have to do.

"Misty, dear!" Delia shouted from downstairs.

Misty went to the stair landing once more. "Yes?"

"Would you do me a favor and wake Ash?" She asked. "It's pushing 11:30, and I want to have lunch soon."

"Sure."

Ash's room was the only door on the right side of the hallway. Opening the door slowly, it was easy to see how much of a slob he could be. There was laundry all over the floor and magazines serving as a protective cover on the desk. As for Ash himself, he was sprawled out on his bed; with the sheet only covering one leg and his mouth wide open.

Pikachu was sleeping at the end of the bed, curled up in a small ball. One of its eyes peeked open and spotted Misty. Its face lit up with joy and was about to exclaim his happiness when Misty put a finger up to her mouth for silence. She simply gave it a pat on the head and walked up to the side of Ash's bed.

"Ash, wake up."

No response.

"It's useless, isn't it, Pikachu?" Misty asked.

Pikachu nodded knowledgably.

Misty then took her wet hair and formed a ponytail. Making sure it was right over Ash's face, she rung it tight, causing a stream of water to trickle down onto him. He flailed roughly, sending the sheet over Pikachu and sat up abruptly.

"Gosh, Mom, you didn't have to splash me with water!"

"I don't think your mother would do that," Misty replied. "She's too nice to you."

Ash opened his eyes and stared at Misty. "What the--?"

"Scared or surprised?" Misty asked.

"Both! Well, I mean, um, wow, uh," Ash gets out of bed and gives Misty a quick hug. "It's great to see you."

"It's great to see you too, Ash, but it's only been six months."

"That's a long time for us!" Ash said. "We did nothing but travel together for a couple years."

"True."

"So, why are you here?" Ash asked.

"I got an invitation from your mother," Misty answered. "It's in the guest room if you need proof. It said something about a party or get-together or something. Cocktails, munchies, the whole bit."

"Ah, I see," Ash bobbed his head, and then raised an eyebrow. "How come I didn't know about this?"

"Your mother didn't tell you her plans?" Misty laughed. "Probably thought you'd try to ditch the party."

"Me? Ditch my mother's plans?" Ash looked affronted. "Yeah, you're most likely right. I would."

"Come on, lunch is ready."

"Food! Next to sleeping, it's the best thing life can offer," Ash grinned and dashed out of the room.

Misty sighed. "Let's go join him, shall we, Pikachu?"  
Pikachu smiled and jumped onto Misty's shoulder.

* * *

"Thanks for the sandwitch, mom. It was really good." Ash said, getting up out of his chair, and taking his plate to the sink. Misty was still eating...not that she was slow, Ash was just a garbage can when it came to food. He killed three sandwiches in under a minuet.

Pikachu was eating some poke-food that Ash's mom had bought at the grocery store. He didn't mind eating it, but in his little head, he longed for Brock's special brew whenever it came time to eat. Soon Misty finished, and joined Ash on the couch, watching TV.

"So, what have you been doing for the past few months?" She asked, noticing how much he had changed in only a half-year. He had gotten a few inches taller, and was trying to do something with his hair...maybe grow it long. It looked pretty bad now, but hair always does in that mid-range. But aside from his attitude change, he was still Ash.

"Trying to stay out of jail!" He said with a laugh, looking at Misty, "What about you?" She too, had grown. Or maybe not, but Ash sensed something different about her. Maybe she had cooled off a lot since last they saw each other. That was probably it, since she usually would have found around five things about which she could smash him in the head with a mallet.

"Me too. I might just pull it off if I can keep from killing my sisters." They shared a laugh, and Ash realized how much he had missed her. It was good she was there.

"So you're having trouble with your sisters, again?" he asked. He didn't want to pry, but he did want the conversation to continue.

"Yeah. It's just the same stuff, I guess. Since they're older than I am...they think they can tell me what to do with my life. It just makes me want to act even more crazy!" She said with a smile, which expressed the exact opposite of what her words would have.

"Wow, you've really mellowed out." Ash said, noting her calm, "A year ago, you would've probably blown up like a volcano about all this. It's kinda cu--" he stopped abruptly, catching his words with a startled realization.

"Kinda what?" Misty asked, a bit of her old self coming through. After all, she was still Misty. Ash only shook his head, and stared at her like he had never seen her before. In fact, his mind was trying to work in a whole new way...one that he didn't exactly know how to deal with, "come on, tell me! I won't get mad, I swear."

"Kinda...new" Ash spat, knowing she would never buy it. But he couldn't say what he was originally going to. After all, it was an absurd notion, one that should never have popped into his head. And yet it had, and he didn't exactly disagree with it. Misty squinted her eyes menacingly, to convey that she was going to have him talk, one way or another. But luckily for Ash, he was saved by the sound of his mother opening the door and greeting someone outside.

"Hello, Professor Oak! Come in, please."

"Thank you, Delia. How are you and Ash doing?" Professor Oak stepped inside, starting on the formalities of a good gentleman.

"We're doing fine. Ash is actually home, for once. And so is someone else, I believe you know." Misty smiled a bit at the mention of her being 'home'. It felt good in a way.

"Well hey there, Misty! I haven't seen you in such a long time, but it's great to see you now. And Ash, you're actually out of bed! Too many suprises, I tell you."

"Hey, professor." Misty said, giving the old man a hug.

"Now professor," Delia said, noticing that he held in his hand a box, "I told you this wasn't a gift party."

"I know, but I brought a little thing anyway. It's for you and your family, so you can do with it as you please." He handed Delia the box.

"Thank you, professor, but you really shouldn't have." she set it on the table, to be opened later.

"But I did, and that's that. It isn't anything special anyway." He said. Ash went over to the table and proceeded to open the box. After all, he said it was for the 'family' and Ash was part of the family. It was a box of assorted candies, and he quickly picked out a few of his favourites, and lined his pockets. He gave Pikachu a few as well. Then, he waved for Misty to come over, and he handed her the box to pick out of. She took but one.

"Don't be shy." Ash said, mouth full of chewy sweet, "you're family too. Take all you want."

"Indeed you are, Misty," Delia said, "Thank you, professor. These are actually my favourite candies."

"You're quite welcome. I believe I recalled that when I picked them out. Funny how you remember things like that." Oak said, eyes glazing over. He was no doubt figuring in his head some equation that figured the semantics of memory patterns in relation to the stimuli of day-to-day life. He wasn't called 'professor' for nothing.

"Well, make yourself at home," Ash's mother offered, extending her hand as if to show her home that he was to welcome himself to, "I doubt anyone else will come for a few hours yet."

"Yeah, here." Ash grabbed the remote control for the television, and handed it to Oak, "watch whatever you want to. I've got to go upstairs and get a shower." He went up the stairs, and into the bathroom. The sound of the shower being turned on was heard, but it was followed by a loud bang, "Ouch!"

"Did he...fall?" Misty asked rhetorically, looking up the stairs. No one said anything for a while, save for the Ash.

"Damned soap!" He shuffled around a bit more, but his noise fell into silence eventually.

"So Misty," Oak asked, "what have you been doing lately?"

"Not much, professor. Just the usual." She went back to the couch and sat down, Oak and Delia following. No one changed the channel, for it was a pokemon tournament going on, some new deal they were having at the Indigo Plateau. They all watched with interest, as trainers came into their fights and put their best foot forward. Ash came into the room, having finished his washing, and jumped over the back of the couch, landing between Misty and his mother.

"What's on?" He asked, resting his arms behind him along the back of the couch.

"The first rounds of the new Trainer's Cup tournament," Oak said, "it's being held at the Plateau."

"Hear that, Misty? Sounds like we've got another adventure lined up for ourselves," Ash said with a grin, "We just need Brock here, now. Did you invite him to this party of yours, mom?"

"Of course, son. I invited everybody I cound think of." Delia said, looking a bit offended that Ash would think she didn't invite their friends. And sure enough, almost like magic, there was a knock at the door. Ms. Ketchum stood and went to open it.

"Well hello, Brock! And Gary, good to see you two! Come in, please." She moved aside, and let the two enter.

"Tracey called me before I left," Brock said, "He said he couldn't make it. Something about a pokemon tournament."

"Well, it's alright. He has a life of his own, he can't be expected to drop it for such a little thing as a party." Delia said with a smile, and went into the kitchen to cook or something.

"Hey, you guys!" Brock said, seeing Ash and Misty, "Long time, no see, Misty. How ya been?" He gave her a hug, and shook Ash's hand. Then Oak's.

"Pretty good, how about you?" She answered, sitting back down.

"Alright, I guess. I'm getting fat from sitting around so much!" He said, grabbing his stomach.

"No you're not. Here, sit down," Ash offered, "You too, Gary. Don't be a stranger."

"I'd rather stand." Gary answered, looking a bit nervous for some reason.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Ash asked him, "you look tense. You can relax around us! Just because I can whip you in a pokemon match doesn't make you completely helpless!"

"Hah! Keep dreamin, Ashy. Actually, I've got something to tell everybody..." He stood in front of all in attendance, and shuffled his hands around.

"What's up?" Brock asked, "You didn't act so nervous when I met you on the way over here."

"Heh, well. It's just that, you don't know about it yet, gramps." He said, referring to Oak, "I don't want to steal any spotlight from your party, Ash, but I needed to tell everybody, because I want you all to come. You see, I'm gonna get married next week."

* * *

Note: yo, this is Brokennarsil16! Just in case you guys are wondering, the first part of this chapter was done by Washuu Puppett, my partner in arms here, and the second half was done by me. Just to clarify! 


	2. The Party

I didn't know what to think. Of all things, of all reasons, why were we getting together to celebrate Gary's engagement? There was also the whole engagement part. I mean… Gary could be a nice guy if he really wanted to. That and when he was drunk, whichever came first. But him… getting married?

Ash's jaw was almost in his lap. Brock looked a bit nervous. Delia was grinning brightly like usual, and the professor just sat there. It was difficult to tell if he knew of this news or not. Behind his blank face could have been anger or excitement. As for me, I felt denial, and Gary was standing there impatiently cracking his knuckles, waiting for someone to reply.

Ash and I glanced at each other briefly before breaking out in laughter.

Ash wiped a tear from his eye. "G-g-getting married! You?"

"You've got to be kidding!" I agreed.

"Stop it you two," Delia scolded. "You should be happy for your friend."

Ash instantly stopped laughing. "Rival!"

"Forget it, Mrs. Ketchum," Gary said, but looked slightly flustered. "He's just jealous."

"Me? Jealous?" Ash stood, face turning red. "I couldn't care less about marriage. I'm still young! I'm going to live my life before giving it away to some woman!"

Delia looked somewhat disappointed.

"What great girl could you, of all people, have found to want to throw your youth away?" Ash continued. "You are only a little older than I, yet I feel I know more about the matter at hand."

It became silent. Ash was always a bit bigheaded, but to think he knew love was too outlandish for most all.

Gary's grin widened. "You? Know more? Ha!"

"I was," Ash's voice dampened, "just trying to make a point."

"A point?"

"Of your stupidity!" Ash tried to embellish.

"Enough already!" Professor Oak finally stood. "Will you two please set aside your differences and be happy? This should be a time of celebration. My grandson is getting married."

"I called for a party, didn't I?" Delia said. "Now, let's all get the backyard ready. I have extra lawn chairs in the basement. Misty, Brock, would you be so kind as to help?"

"Certainly," Brock nodded.

"It's the least I could do," I said.

Ash remained where he was, almost starring Gary down.

Gary sighed. "Ash, she will be arriving later tonight. Please be kind to her. This is the only favor I'll ask of you."

"You think I'd be rude to someone I just met?" Ash asked. "I'm only rude to you because you've always been rubbing your nose in my face."

I gently tugged on Ash's sleeve. "Come on, help me grab some chairs."

"Fine."

Ash turned and walked silently out of the living room. I could tell he was trying to be taller, with his shoulders rolled back. It was ridiculous for him to feel so degraded by Gary's betrothal. He said it himself; he didn't want to throw his youth away by handing it over to a girl. That's his personality though. He never gives in, not to anybody or anything.

"I'm sorry about him," I apologized to Gary. "I think he's a bit shocked, is all."

Gary shrugged. "He doesn't understand. You see, I thought I was the best there was. Nothing could stand in my way and no trainer could beat me. When I meet _her_… I felt as if I wanted to forfeit everything in a second. She brings out the loser in me, if you know what I mean."

Like I mentioned before, Gary could be a nice guy if he wanted to.

"I know what you mean."

Everyone eventually assembled in the Ketchum's backyard to put up chairs and tables for all the guests. There were beach umbrellas to sit under; many coolers for beverages, and little bowls of after-dinner mints on every table to nibble on. Delia hopped around, cheerfully giving instructions, and whenever someone put an item in the wrong spot, she hastily resituated it. Neither Gary nor Ash talked much during the whole process. Brock was a chatterbox, hoping that Mrs. Ketchum invited a few of her younger girl friends.

For the rest of the afternoon, Delia and I were stuck in the kitchen making hors d'oeuvres. Three crock-pots were bubbling away and every spot on the stove was occupied with a pan. I wasn't the best cook, by all means. All I could remember was a meatball recipe and how to tempura shrimp. Delia, of course, was the master and took care of most everything. I stood by, making sure nothing boiled over.

Guests slowly poured in during the early evening. Most I didn't recognize, for they were from cities all over the Kanto region. The whole town of Pallet appeared to be invited, and even my three sisters showed up. It was a great surprise for me, because I didn't think any of them even knew Gary. They probably loved the opportunity to go buy a new summer dress. Their special occasions were becoming slim.

Ash stumbled into the kitchen, looking quite weary.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"I'm hungry… and Mom won't let me test anything," Ash moaned, stomach making a small noise. "The smells are driving me absolutely crazy!"

"You can deal with it," Delia almost snapped. "You inhaled your lunch."

"Yes, Mom, but…"

"Your cousins will be coming to the party too," Delia began a new subject. "I know you haven't seen them in a long time, but be friendly none the less."

"Just a small bite?"

"Let's see, Brian will be here, the twins Rebecca and Rachael, Evelyn, Jordan and Cory…"

It was funny how Delia chose to ignore her son, especially when he begged for food.

The doorbell rang and everyone's head turned in the direction of the front door. Delia nodded at Ash and I and we both went to answer it. Ash opened the door a crack before swinging it completely in.

On the other side stood a tiny girl about my height. She had dark chestnut hair hanging over her shoulders and maple colored eyes, with a hint of red. Her white tank top made her skin look tan and the pleaded lavender skirt that hung just above her knees made her appear slightly stunted. Nevertheless, she was quite beautiful and could have passed for any age between sixteen and twenty.

"Is this the Ketchum residence?" She asked, holding up a small piece of paper. "My directions sort of got smudged."

"Yes, this is the Ketchum residence," Ash answered.

"Are you here for the party?" I questioned.

"I was just told to come here tonight for a surprise," the girl replied.

Ash chuckled. "Way to go, Mist. Give it away."

"I didn't try to!" I yelled hoarsely, even though she was standing right in front of me.

"Oh, it's alright. Gary isn't too good at keeping secrets either. He's been hinting it ever since the beginning of the week," She grinned.

That was when I got my invitation. "Gary? Ash, I think she's the one."

"You're her?" Ash asked pathetically.

"Her? I could be. Am I?"

"Well, uh, come on in," Ash stepped aside to let her in the door. "Everybody is in the back yard, just follow all the noise. Help yourself to a drink from the cooler and snacks will be out shortly."

"Thank you," the girl nodded her head and strolled towards the back door.

"Did Gary ever mention a name?" Ask asked.

"Not to me," I said.

Ash shuddered. "I just had a creepy thought. What if she's one of those cheerleaders he used to drag along?"

A chill ran down my own spine. "No offense to Gary, but that would be disgusting."

The night descended peacefully and Delia was forced to turn on the ornamented lights she had in her many gardens boarding the yard. Nobody really mentioned what the party was intended to celebrate. As a matter of fact, I don't even think the subject was brought up at all. However, the petite girl in the lavender skirt did cling to Gary's side for most of the festivities. The whole escapade resembled an open house for a graduate.

Around nine o'clock, Gary finally stood on a chair and clicked a fork against his pop can to get everyone's attention.

"First of all, thank you all for coming," He said. "I'm sure most of you don't even know the original intent of tonight's get-together, but that's what I'll be announcing."

The girl, who was standing at the base of the chair, suddenly flushed.

"Many of you are from Pallet and you are the people I grew up with. My neighbors, friends, and even enemies," Gary nodded towards Ash in particular. "And I wanted you to be the first to know my good news."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Here it comes. Cross your fingers for him to fall off that chair."

"Ash!" I whispered.

"Standing here next to me," Gary gestured to the girl, "is my best friend and confidant."

"Don't those mean the same thing?" Ash said from the side of his mouth.

I jabbed him in the ribs.

"Her name is Emily Owen," Gary announced.

"Hmm, looks more like a Brooke to me," Ash mumbled.

"Shut up!" I stomp on his foot.

His eyes bulged and he had to bite his lip to keep from yelling.

"I am very proud to say, that she and I are getting married," Gary finally spit out.

The small crowd applauded and Gary hoped down from the chair to put an arm around Emily and grin like a lucky idiot. I could see Delia wiping away a tear and clapping vigorously, as if Gary were her own child. Emily was smiling as well, cheeks still rather pink, exposing a pair of dimples. I was happy for them as well, but Ash was applauding like a golfer. If only he knew how that made me feel.

The guests started to diminish about a half an hour later, all of them giving Gary and Emily a handshake or a hug before departure. I could hear my sister hounding Emily about an appointment at their salon before they left. An unknown pressure was lifted once they were gone. They have no idea how they affect me.

Ash grabbed another soda from a cooler and sat in an abandoned lawn chair, legs spread like a typical guy. I pull another chair up next to him and take a seat myself. I doubt he even noticed until I spoke.

"You've been like this ever since lunch. What's on your mind?"

"Don't ask me that," He replied.

"I want to know, Ash. That way, I can help you," I said.

"You never wanted to help me before when I had problems," He took a big gulp from his can. "Why the sudden change?"

"Because this is a big issue."

"No, it's not," Ash spat. "Gary always parades around like this. Look at him, he's showing her off like some prize. For crap's sake, he's not even…"

He cut off, grunted, and sunk lower in his chair.

"I think it's a bit absurd too, Ash," I said.

"He lives right down the road! Why did Mom have to insist that we have the stupid party at our house?"

"What exactly are you angry about?" I asked.

"Let me ask a question," Ash replied. "What's so special about marriage anyway? Why would anybody want to go through that?"

This wasn't the conversation I really wanted to have with him.

I shrugged. "Every girl dreams of it. Trust me. But it seems as if no guy wants a commitment. That way, it's impossible."

"So marriage is impossible."

"Yeah, sure, it is," I agreed. "I don't believe I'm quite old enough to understand it completely. You shouldn't worry about it, if you are."

"Am not!" Ash said angrily as if I accused him.

"Ash, I don't think you're upset with the situation. I think you're upset that Gary beat you at something again," I denounced.

Ash's mouth gapped. "Excuse me, Misty?"

"You heard me."

"That-…that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"Fine."

I stood and stared at his fuming face, then left.

Emily was sitting at a table close to the edge of the lawn, slowly munching on after-dinner mints and sipping her diet cola. I take the seat next to her and she smiles.

"I don't believe I ever introduced myself," I said. "My name is Misty Waterflower. I'm a friend of Ash. He grew up with Gary."

"Oh! I'm Emily. You probably already know that by now," She laughed shortly.

"Yes, it's very nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Emily replied. "It feels so strange! All these people are so hospitable and it's the first time I've even been to Pallet."

"Oh? Where are you from?" I asked.

"I was born in Fuchsia City, but lived in Celadon for most of my life."

"My sisters and I run the gym in Cerulean."

"Really? I can't believe I didn't recognize you!" Emily exclaimed.

"Well, if you ever challenged there, it probably wasn't me who battled you. I was on the road for a long time with Ash and Brock," I replied.

"I remember fighting a girl with hair about your color. Maybe it was lighter."

"It was most likely my sister Daisy. She has blonde hair," I informed.

"Yes, she might have been the one."

"Well, I hope you enjoy your stay in Pallet. It's really a quaint town," I gave a small smile.

"Thank you very much," Emily smiled back. "I'm not sure how long I will be staying. It's sort of up to Gary. I know he's been away for a long time. He was so nice to stay with me in Celadon, even though he didn't care for big cities much. This town suits him so well."

"To tell you the truth, I don't know much about Gary," I admitted. "Him and Ash are rivals, so I only hear Ash's rants on how he's going to beat him next time. He never does, but it keeps him going."

Emily started to giggle but quickly covered her mouth with a hand. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be laughing at your friend."

"Oh, go right ahead," I waved it off. "He's stuck on his high horse right now."

"I fear Gary's a bit too spirited as well," Emily sighed. "I mean, I love him dearly, but sometimes I feel he is still in battle mode."

"I can understand that completely," I nodded.

"Don't you wish that men should be forced to live a woman's life sometime?" Emily wondered.

"Yes, I do."

"I never thought a man could have as many emotions as myself," Emily said. "However, when I got to know Gary, I was proved wrong."

I gazed at her and found her in a tiny daze.

"It's almost as if…I don't need him to understand what's going on in my head. He can feel it, more than comprehend it. All I need to do is look into his eyes, and everything fixes itself," She explained.

I couldn't reply to that. Ash and I didn't have that relationship. Sure, we were friends and have been for so long that I can hardly remember life before him. Ash helped me become the true me. I can never hide anything from him. Yet, he always locks special things up. Why can't men ever truly say how they feel? I suppose we girls are so used to them keeping things in, that when they finally speak the truth, we don't believe them. Then, after the realization, we regret it.

"Emily?"

"Yes?"

"May I call you a lucky girl?" I questioned.

She looked down at the table for a moment before turning her face to me again. "I believe I am one."

"How did you find it?"

Emily's nose scrunched up in thought. "You know? I don't remember."

My heart dropped a little, over this small matter.

"I never asked for it, though," Emily confessed. "It surprised me and came up from behind. I would have never guessed that I would find such a wonderful guy at my age. But now I know that it's possible."

I hardly knew this girl, yet she gave me a sense of hope. She had this philosophical air about her. I felt enlightened and encouraged. Then I was reminded of reality.

"Emily!" Gary called from over by the back door.

"Oh! If you'll excuse me," Emily got up from her seat. "It was nice talking with you, Misty. We should get together again soon."

I simply nodded my head and she ran off.

I glanced back over at the two lawn chairs Ash and I occupied, but he had left. He must have gone inside. Oh well, I have a while to bug him. Today was initiation. Even though he said many stupid things, Ash had one good point. We are still young and we have our lives to live whatever way we wish. We are still young, and there is still tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, I can get Ash to change his mind in the tomorrows to come.


	3. Almost There

For Better or Worse -- 3

Disclaimer: We don't own Pokemon.

* * *

I woke up in the morning with a splitting headache. Leave it to Brock to have brought some liquor. Rolling out of bed, I checked the time. It was already past noon. I climbed into some pants and pulled a shirt over my head. Stepping outside my door, I heard voices in the living room. I recognized my mother, Misty, and Brock. Those were the only ones who stayed at my house. The rest of the family and friends were either at Oak's, Gary's, or at a hotel.

"Well look who's alive." Misty said in her usual tone. Brock looked at me with sympathy, for he had quite a buzz last night too. I only glared at him.

"There's cold breakfast on the table, Ash. If you would have gotten up when we called, you could have eaten it warm." Now that I thought of it, I did recall hearing them trying to wake me earlier. So I stumbled over to the table and put my head down next to the plate. Last thing on my mind was eating.

"Anyway," mom said, "I never would have thought Gary to get married. I mean, it's quite out of his character."

"Yes, but I think he's really happy," Misty chimed in, "I know Emily is."

I had almost forgotten about that little thing. Gary getting married. What a laugh. The idiot probably did it just to spite me. No, I couldn't lie to myself, for I had seen him. He was truly happy with that girl. But this was one battle I wasn't ready to win quite yet.

"Hey Ash." Brock said, summoning me over to where he was. I got up, not really feeling like it, but the smell of that food was making me even more sick, "we're gonna go outside for a while." He told mom and Misty. With that, we stepped out the door.

The blast of sunlight that greeted me nearly knocked me out. I threw up my hands to hide my sensitive eyes but my head throbbed like a drum.

"I know," Brock said, "I wasn't so hot either this morning." He handed me a pill which I readily swallowed. It would kill the hangover quicker.

"So what do you need?" I asked, sitting down.

"You know we're gonna have to plan Gary a bachelor's party, right?" He asked, sitting next to me. Actually the thought had entered my mind last night. Since I was the closest thing to him that may be called a friend, I would probably be the one stuck with getting it together.

"Yeah, I know." I said, not feeling enthused at all.

"Well since his wedding is in about three days, we need to get the show on the road." Brock grabbed me by my arm and stood me up, "I mean today we need to start." I stared at him, a part of me wanting to choke him for ever bringing that whiskey in the first place, another wanting to choke him for this damned party, and another glad he was here. I had missed my old friend.

"Fine. What you got in mind?" I tried my best to clear the cobwebs out of my head, but I only felt ready to vomit.

"Y'know, the usual. Drinks, food, and girls!" That sounded damned good, but at the moment, I only wanted to crawl in a hole.

"Great, but you sure you need me today? I'm still pretty wiped out." I turned to go back inside. But he grabbed my arm, stopping me.

"Nope. The best way to get rid of a hangover is to walk it off." Saying that, he stuck his head in the door and told everyone we were going into town, to be back later. And then he dragged me to his car, taking off for Viridian City.

All the way there, I dozed on and off, droning to the sound of his radio mixed with the drums in my head. It was getting better though, I had to say. That pill he gave me was doing its job. When we got to Viridian, about half an hour later, I was almost able to function normally. So we parked at a mall and got out. I left all the planning up to Brock.

* * *

That evening, we returned home, fully ready to set up the party. We had supplies (beer, food, party favours), and guests (the strippers couldn't make it. You don't want any from Viridian...bad buisness). Though I didn't like it, the only logical place to have it was at my house. So I was stuck with the task of getting Misty to take my mom away for the night.

Actually, it wasn't that hard, as my mom isn't stupid and had guessed something like this would take place. She left me with the warning to not destroy the house, and with or without her words, I didn't intend to let that happen. So she and Misty were to head over to another party or someting the night before the wedding.

"So Ash, get any good girls hired?" Misty asked, her look speaking volumes about how lightly I should tread across these egg shells.

"No, actually." I said, scratching the back of my head out of nervousness.

"Well it's not like I'd care," She said, crossing her arms over her chest, "but the girls around Viridian City are kind of nasty, right?"

"Yeah. And that's why we aren't getting any." That slipped out before I had time to think it over. Foot in mouth, big time.

"Oh, so you would have if they were from somewhere else?" She knew she had me where she wanted me.

"Well...maybe...but" I stumbled across about a dozen words of that nature.

"I swear Ash, you're so immature." She frowned and turned away.

"Well what do you expect? I mean it's tradition! Y'know, party girl pops out of the cake, the whole nine." I thought I had found some solid ground on which to stand...nope.

"But even a nasty girl can safely pop out of a cake. What _else_ were you planning?" She had me again, pinned against a wall. But luckily, I was saved by Brock..

"Come on, Misty. Leave him be. It was my idea anyway." He walked by casually, drawing the attention on himself.

"Well I should have guessed that much." She said, and thankfully no more on the subject.

* * *

Next morning came and I wasn't sick. It felt so good to be well, I actually got up at around eight. I made my way downstairs to see a relatively dead house. Quiet as a mouse (that rhymed!). I went back upstairs and looked in Misty's room to see if she was awake yet. She was on her bed, staring at the ceiling. That kinda startled me, but I figured it was just a morning wake up ritual or something.

I knocked on the door and opened it a bit more, sticking my head in, "Morning."

She looked at me and smiled, sitting up, "Good morning."

"Whatcha doing?" I asked, as she didn't seem to exactly be herself.

"Nothing, just thinking. Come in." she patted her hand next to her on the bed. I entered and took a seat.

"About what?" I hoped she wouldn't take offence to my invading her private thoughts.

"Just trying to get my head on straight. It's been a fast few days, hasn't it?" She looked over at me, and I could tell something was on her mind.

"Yeah, it has," I leaned back on the bed and looked at the roof, "I still can't believe that idiot's gettin married."

"Don't you wish him the best?" She leaned back as well.

"Sure, I guess. If this is what he really wants to do, then I guess it's the best thing for him, right?" I looked over to her and tried to tell what she was thinking. Her gaze was fixed upward though.

"Yeah, I'd like to think so. But what about you? When do you plan to settle down?" She looked at me this time, perhaps trying to figure the same thing.

"I thought I already made that point." I said.

"Sure, you said it at the party. But I know as well as you that you just said all that to sound good in front of everybody. You just wanted to sound opposite Gary, right? If your ideas are anywhere near his, you're automatically trying to copy him. Is that what you think?" She smiled like she knew she was right. But hell, I really didn't even know.

"Whatever, maybe you're right. How 'bout it, wanna get hitched?" I stood up and walked towards the door, "come on, let's eat." I made my way downstairs, towards the kitchen. I expected Misty to follow close behind, but I didn't hear her for a few minuets. I started to worry that maybe I had hurt her feelings or something. But she came down eventually, dressed and ready for the day with a smile.

"What are you gonna cook?" she asked, sitting at the table.

"Wait a minuet, now. Who said I could cook?"

"You did, at the party." she smiled as if she knew something I didn't.

"At the...wait...I was drunk! That doesn't count." I walked over and sat across from her, "you should be the one cooking."

"Me? Why? We aren't married." We laughed a bit, but it quickly died. Then it was all quiet between us.

"Well I wish some damned body was...I'm starving." Brock rolled off the couch, and came over to join us.

"Morning, Brock. I didn't know you were awake." I said, pulling him out a chair.

"Me either. Till you two lovebirds woke me up with your chatter." He grinned and watched to see how we'd react. I saw his game and wasn't going to let it bother me.

"Now hold on there, mister," Misty said, turning red, "that's a little too far."

"What's wrong, Mist? You don't like me?" I asked, joking around with her.

"You'd better cool it, Ash," Brock said with a laugh, "you've got a bachelor's party to attend. You can't go if you're not a bachelor."

"And what does _that_ mean!" Misty was fuming with emabrassment...I found it quite funny.

"Alright you two, stop ganging up on Misty," mom said, coming out of her room, "unless you want _me_ to get in on this." I surely didn't want that, but I couldn't resist one more.

"Sorry Misty, I wasn't being fair. I know you love me too much to speak ill of me." Brock and I shared a good laugh from that one.

"I'm serious," my mom said, holding up a frying pan, "if you don't stop, no breakfast." I was too hungry to disagree with that order. But it was truly good to have us all together again. I had missed these moments. And as I started to think of them leaving again after the wedding, I found myself feeling rather sad about it.

"What's wrong, Ash?" Misty asked, "maybe you want to apologize?"

"For what?" I wasn't the type to let my worries overcome my fun. It'd all work itself out.

Mom cooked some fantastic breakfast, and we all gobbled it up like there may not be anymore after this meal. Afterwards, we all had to get ready to go to the church and rehearse the wedding. Can you believe it? Gary wanted _me_ to be on of his best men.

So we got dressed and headed to the church. Everyone was there, and the whole time I felt ready to run for dear life. There were certainly better things I could have thought of to do today than this garbage. But mom and Misty practically shoved me into the car to go, so I couldn't get out of it.

And it went by slower than Christmas. They had to go over each and every step they'd take going up to take their vows, recite their vows, get the music all settled, arrange the decorations, make sure the food was right, figure out who'd sit where, sit and just talk in general, dote over each other's dresses they'd picked out...what a hell. Of course, the females were loving every second of it. You were having fun if you were a woman or a queer.

But the guys just did what we were told and tried not to screw up and drag this out any longer than we had to. I could even see the look on Gary's face that said he would rather not do all this. And indeed after everything was in order, Gary, Brock, Oak, and myself found ourselves sitting at a table sipping on some punch while the girls conversed. They'd look over here and laugh, returning to their little hive of gossip and such. It reminded me of high school...little clusters of girls giggling over the guys. What a waste of my time. And all that happened to take longer than the actual rehearsal.

* * *

Then came the day of the bachelor's party. Misty and mom took off to their destination, while Brock and I made the house ready. Now don't get me wrong, we damned sure didn't carry on over it all like the girls would have. But we made sure we had the essentials, cooler, food, music, and phone numbers. Just because we didn't feel safe with the strippers didn't mean we couldn't call over some girls for a bit of a party, right?

Actually, they were mostly Brock's friends, and we found a few of the old cheerleaders Gary used to have follow him. He was sure to get a kick out of that. When all was ready, it was about eight at night. We called Gary over and of course he knew what was going on. But he didn't object, and was front and center. Y'know, a man's last night of true freedom can never be too crazy.

And we had a good time, despite my disliking the situation. I made sure to steer clear of too many drinks, and instead occupied myself talking to a nice young lady of Brock's acquaintance. Gary was having a good time, though he was making sure not to get too close to any of the girls. I guess he was really gonna stay true to Emily. I had to give him credit for that, it's a shitty man who cheats on a woman.

When the party was winding down, I told him that too, "Y'know Gary, I'm proud of you." Yeah, I was a little buzzed.

"For what?" He asked with a laugh.

"It's a damned sorry man who cheats on his girl. This has been your ultimate test of faith. And you passed!" I toasted him a drink, to which all in attendance raised their bottle. The girls had gone home, leaving the guys to just sit and talk.

"But isn't that a little hypocritical of you?" He asked me, as we sat around.

"What?" I asked, not getting his meaning. I may have been a little more toasted than I thought.

"I saw you with that blonde tonight," He said with a grin, "what would Misty think?"

"Misty? Oh damn. You're right. I should throw away that girl's number, shouldn't I?" I dug in my pocket and produced a piece of paper with her phone number on it. Ripping it up, I stuffed it into an empty beer bottle.

"What's the deal, Ash?" Brock asked, "I didn't know you two were really serious."

"What two?" I asked, staring at Brock.

"Wow, he's gone." Gary said, eliciting a laugh out of all in attendance. In truth however, I wasn't quite as drunk as I let on. It was easier on me to act that way though, to give myself room to think. I was amazed at how I had really just felt bad about getting that girl's number. But Brock was right, Misty and I weren't together or anything. So why was I so worried about her?

But the next day did come, and I found myself with yet another bloody hangover.


	4. Pink Philosophy

There are many times in my life when I hate the male population. An old guy friend of mine told me once that men think with one track. It must be something they cannot help. He mentioned something about women being able to multitask better because of our ability to concentrate on more than one thing. Along with that, men apparently are better at single things because of the one-track trait. Yes, I agree with that statement. They are all good at being complete idiots.

Then again, a girl falls for at least one idiot in her dating career.

The effects of the party have died down, and the whole rehearsal dinner is out of the way. Thank God, if you ask me. Sure, I love the whole concept of a wedding, but personally don't think it necessary to practice walking down an aisle. Many of the girls involved in the wedding party, I never met. Being friendly was essential, because this foreboding feeling kept coming down on me. My only friends in Pallet were Ash, Brock, and Gary. In weddings, following one screwed up tradition, the sexes seem to separate during the whole process. I'm in trouble.

Ash actually woke up early this morning. Surprises are nice every once in a while, and having his head peak in my door around eight definitely qualified as one. He's been acting strange over the past few days. I expected that much, but there've been moments that have caught me off guard.

After breakfast, I could ignore the beautiful day no longer. Being a morning person has its perks, believe it or not.

Delia left a stack of lawn chairs in the backyard from the party. I lifted one from the pile and carry it over to a semi-shady spot. My schedule consisted of relaxation and some catch-up on reading. Hey, every girl needs a part of the day to herself, and what better way to spend it than with a good book.

However, I couldn't concentrate. The thought had been bugging me ever since I woke up.

When was the last time that I had a serious date?

"Misty?" Mrs. Ketchum called from the back door. "If you're not busy, you have a phone call."

"For me?" I asked the obvious.

Mrs. Ketchum began to cross the lawn to my chair. "Yes. I believe it's one of your sisters."

I raised my eyebrows, but accepted the phone. "Hello?"  
"Misty? Hi! It's me, Lily."

"Hi, Lily," I said. "How did you get this number?"

"Phonebook! I'm not that stupid, you know. Anyways, I just wanted to drop a word in with you, see how you're doing and stuff like that."

"I saw you a couple days ago at Gary's party," I replied. "You could have asked me then. What's your real intention?"

Lily laughed. "I can't check up on my baby sister?"

"No."

"Oh, fine," Lily huffed. "Daisy, Violet and I knew how worked up you can get and we didn't want you to start cutting yourself or something."

"Excuse me?"  
"Don't lie to yourself, Misty, you have a temper," Lily stated.

I sighed.

"We had a feeling, you see. Sort of a vision," Lily continued, sounding like a drugged Ms. Cleo. "We didn't want your jealousy to get the best of you."

"I am not jealous! Stop assuming things about me when you don't even bother to ask how I'm doing in person."

"The idea to call was Daisy's, Misty, so don't yell at me."

She completely missed the point.

"Emily is such a sweet girl!" Lily cooed. "She's going to be some tough competition, am I right?"

"Competition? She's engaged, Lily. Why would I care?" I asked. "It's Gary, for crying out loud."

"Hold on a second, Violet's trying to tell me something," Lily said. "What? Oh…Gary's not the one she had the crush on? What's his face was the one? The kid with the goofy black hair?"

I took my book and started hitting myself on the head.

"Okay! I'm back," Lily giggled. "Forget that last part."

"Lily…why did you call?"

"I already said why! We don't want you to get over depressed because you've never dated anyone--."

Lily cut off. The phone must have dropped.

"Misty? This is Daisy," Daisy came on.

"Hi, Daisy."

"Lily never can repeat messages, can she?" Daisy tried to joke. "Anyways, what we really wanted to tell you is to not get discouraged."

"I'm not discouraged."

"Yes you are! Listen to yourself! You're crying in agony! I can hear you tears, baby sister!" Daisy cried.

"I'm actually laughing," I said.

"I'm sorry you weren't as blessed as the three of us. Especially me, I mean, this ring is just beautiful!" Daisy snickered.

"So, you wasted your time calling me to tell me how unfortunate I am to not have found that special guy yet," I summarized for them. "To tell you three the truth, I couldn't care less. Yes, I had a few mixed feelings, but those passed easily."

"Yeah! I know what you mean!" Daisy said. "Some of those snacks Mrs. Ketchum made were delicious, but my stomach felt horrible afterwards."

Dear God, please, let my sister's learn English terminology.

"Misty? This is Violet. I wanted to tell you something helpful."

"And what is this treasured advice that I so desperately craved for years?" I asked sarcastically.

Violet sighed as if trying to hold back a tear. "This is your prime opportunity to get the jerk back in his own game."

"To get the jerk back in his own game?" I repeated.

"Yeah! That kid with the goofy black hair! Have they had a Bachelors' Party yet?"

"Why should that matter?" I asked

"You know… I don't know, ignore that," Violet corrected herself. "What I really wanted to say is that you need to get yourself a man, Misty."

"It's not a matter of life and death. Like I told Daisy, I couldn't care less!" I said.

"Yes, and I believe you, baby sister! Weddings are huge events and there are going to be many guests. Mingle, mingle! To acquire a man's attention and respect, you have to force it. Make him want to kill himself over you."

My jaw dropped, taken aback. "Violet, um…"

I couldn't say anything. My throat ached to break out in laughter, yet something deep in my chest was swelling.

Lily's voice could be heard shouting in the background. "We want to plan a stupid Bachelorette party, damn it!"

"Go for the tall and tan, alright?" Violet advised. "I know how much you like the nerdy type, but it's time to branch out."

"Misty!" Lily tugged the phone away once more. "You're in your prime for dating, trust me. You may be my baby sister, but only by two years. I walked in your shoes not too long ago. Go for the big bait."

"Um, I appreciate all your tips, but, I think I'll hang up now," I said.

"Bye-bye, baby sister! Best of luck!"

That night, Ash and Brock kicked Mrs. Ketchum and I out of the house for Gary's Bachelor party. The smirks on both of their faces truly pissed me off. I knew what they had planned: Booze and lots of women…better yet, why not drunk women? The more the confused they are, the better, right?

How I yearned to somehow situate a security camera in the house that night. However, I probably wouldn't be able to stand watching what happened, for there are festivities and traditions that are better kept secret.

Delia and I, once in her car, spoke of nothing. The look on her face reminded me of a death row convict. They knew what was coming, but could do nothing to stop it. They possessed no such power. Parents want to keep their children innocent forever, and sometimes pretend it'll come true.

After a half hour of driving in silence, Delia pulls up in an unknown driveway and unlocks the doors.

"Go on, they're probably waiting for you."

"What?"

Delia grinned. "Emily is having her Bachelorette party tonight, coincidentally. You were, of course, invited."

"Aren't you coming too?" I asked.

Delia laughed at my stupid question. "Me? I'm a bit too old for this stuff. I'll be spending the night at an old friend's house. She lives in this town."

Delia takes a slip of paper out of her pocket.

"Here's her address if you need to stop by after the party."

"Um, thank you," I said.

"Enjoy yourself."

I exit the car and Delia drives off with a short wave.

The front door of the house opened, startling me.

"Misty? Is that you? Get in here! Emily will be here any moment!"

I rushed into the house and met up with a handful of girls I recognized from the party.

"Oh, I'm so excited for this!" A girl named Melissa exclaimed.

Sara chirped in. "Oh, I know! Emily is going to be super surprised."

"Isn't she going to expect a party?" I asked.

Jen smiled wide. "Yes, but she doesn't know where we're taking her. I know of a great bar just down town, next to that small convenient store. Serves the best cosmopolitans."

Sara added with a whisper: "Hottest bar tenders you'll ever lay eyes on."

"You're giving me chills just thinking about it!" Melissa said.

Yup, this was going to be the typical Bachelorette party. Pink cocktails in a smoke filled bar with overpaid bar tenders staring at you like they honestly care. Eh, might as well enjoy myself.

Emily arrived shortly after me and she hardly got in the door before the other girls pushed her out. We strolled down to The Brown Bench Bar and the carousing sprung up sooner than you could say 'spinster'.

I recall back in grade school how they tried to talk us out of drinking excessively when we came of age. One of the points covered how your body weight effected how quickly you got drunk. Haha! Bull! Emily, I swear she's no heavier than 120 pounds, knocked so many down in the first two hours and still could walk steadily to the bar for another. I never thought I'd have a great time drinking with a rowdy bunch of girls I hardly knew. On the contrary! It was better than if I were with my sisters.

"You see the one with the brown hair?" Melissa asked, slouching in the chair next to me. "Oh, what an ass."

She appeared to be in Heaven. She raised her hand and the brown-haired waiter came to her service.

"Beef-Eater with blue cheese olives? Thank you, love."

"Anything for you, miss?" The man asked me.

"Huh? Oh, um, watermelon sour, please."

"Going light? Why bother?" Melissa laughed.

"Saving it for later, I suppose."

Melissa snorted, then covered her mouth momentarily. "I hate my laugh. You know, the one behind the bar has been watching you for quite a while. Oh! I just had the best idea! You and me are gonna run a bar sometime. We'll hire only men, and we'll require them to wear tiny white shirts and black shorts. Hey! If guys can have Hooters, we can have our pleasure restaurant too!"

"Sounds good."

We toast the empty plan.

"Hey!" Emily sat down at our table. "Thanks for coming."

She was chewing gum like a cow, but looked more content than a kid in a candy store.

"How do you feel, Em?" Melissa asked. "Sure you want to be attached to Gary the rest of your life?"

Emily laughed. "Yeah, I think."

"Doesn't mean you have to shun other men for the rest of your life!" Melissa stood and grabbed Emily's arm. "I'm going to introduce you to that tight-ass waiter."

They left me alone at the table, sipping my watermelon sour. Suddenly, the chair next to me scooted back and a body took its place. Laziness controlled my head, and I didn't want to move it.

"You don't look like you're having fun."

I eventually looked to my right and see the bar tender Melissa spoke of.

"I'm having fun!" I said defensively. "You make a really good cosmopolitan."

"Uh… thanks," He replied. "So, who's the bachelorette?"

"Emily. Brown hair, wearing the green shirt."

"So it's not for you?" He asked.

"Shut up!" I punched him on the shoulder, strength depleted due to dizziness.

The bar tender stops one of the waiters and takes a drink from his tray, hands it to me, and smiles.

"Talk to me about it."

I hated Jack Daniels straight up, but accepted it anyway.

"What does he think he has? Forever?" I ended up blurting out. "I mean, sure, I'm not thinking of getting hitched anytime soon either, but it doesn't put the option out to pasture."

"I see, go on."

"All he does is sleep, drink, and eat. Lazy-ass bum," I groaned. "Nothing admirable about the fool at all."

"Then why bother with him? If he's not worth worrying over, drop it."

"You know, I should." I nodded. "What made me believe there was anything other than friendship between us? I'm such an idiot."

"You're capable of getting any guy you want."

I slugged him again. "Shut up! You're paid to say that to pathetic women like me."

"That may be half true, but I hate lying."

"You're starting to annoy me," I pointed my finger at his nose. "You don't know Ash. He sees me as another guy friend. Someone to wrestle over an argument, someone to challenge at an eating contest, watch the game on T.V with a couple of beers. I'm a woman, damn it, a woman!"

"I suppose you'll never know until you ask him yourself."

"Shut up! Shut up! Why won't anybody take my side?"

"It sounds as if you're not even on your side." He took hold of my hand.

"I hate people like you. You better not be expecting some big tip out of this. I take that compliment back! Your cosmopolitans suck!" I exclaim.

"It's easy to see that you're upset…"

"No shit, Sherlock!"

"Please, hear me out on this," The bar tender asked politely. "I've heard a lot of stories in my career from a lot of different women. I've learned that one thing is the answer to every problem."

"And what is that?" I asked.

"You're as beautiful as you want to be," He replied. "I'm no man of philosophy, but bar tending is sort of a branch of it."

How we managed to walk back to the house, I'll never know. Lounging around in the living room, we munched on whatever the cupboards contained. Most of the party complete, it was time for girl talk.

"I think I might move to this town," Melissa said. "Sara, do you have an extra room here?"

"Forget it!" Sara threw a pillow at her. "It'll never get past my mom."

"You're old enough, rent an apartment!" Jen suggested. "You live by yourself, don't you Misty?"

"I share a place with my sister."

"Your sisters? I thought you lived in Pallet."

"No!" I replied.

"You should. That way we could all hang out more. After the wedding," Sara said.

"Ha-ha! Share a place with that Ketchum kid. He looked like a fun possibility," Melissa chuckled. "I always wanted a guy roommate. Friends with benefits!"

"Why not live in the bar, Melissa? You'll fit right in."

"Not," Melissa nodded. "a bad idea."

"I don't think I could live here in Pallet," I explained. "It's too quaint. I enjoy the bigger cities. I need somewhere to run if I can't stand the house."

"Hey, if you have a guy roommate, just hit the sheets and, to him, the problem is solved," Melissa said.

Emily gasped shyly. "She's not like you, Melissa."

Melissa began to laugh again, followed by the snorts.

Emily smiled at me. "If Ash really cares, he'll go at your speed, Misty."

"Whoa, wait a minute," I held up my hands. "Who said Ash and I were serious?"

"Weren't you just complaining about him to that bar tender?" Jen asked slyly.

I bury my face in a pillow. "You heard that?"

Melissa wasn't the only one laughing anymore.

"Okay, okay!" I shouted. "This party is to celebrate Emily's last few days of being a free and single woman."

"You're absolutely right," Melissa said, quite seriously. She appeared to finally be affected by all the drinks she had. "I have a little black book in my purse. I say we call some guys."

"No, don't do that!" Emily protested innocently, a bit of color painting her cheeks. "I'm happy spending the time with you girls."

"Is this supposed to be one of those group hug moments?" Sara asked.

"I think it might," Jen agreed.

"Screw that crap!" Melissa laughed. "I'm going to find a Twister board."

"Twister?" The rest of us girls questioned.

"Yeah! Twister!" Melissa snorted and started to dash up the stairs. "Twister!"

It fell silent besides Melissa's pounding feet.

Emily went into a fit of giggles. "At least she's having a good time."

"This is a sad product of childhood friendships," Sara sighed.

Melissa stomped her way back to the living room, holding the Twister box in her arms. "And if you fail to perform the called position, you have to tell a dirty secret."

"I feel like I'm at a junior high sleep over," I said.

"Correction!" Jen shouted. "Dirty junior high sleep over!"

"I don't think dirty is a good word for it," Emily whispered naively.

Sara and Melissa moved the coffee table and set up the polka-dotted trap and the game began.

Such a simple evening, yet I can honestly say that it was thoroughly satisfying.


End file.
